By Ebriku John Friday
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission NCPC, Rev. Yakubu Pam has called on the Governors in the South South States to increase their sponsorship of Christians to the Holy Land.
He disclosed this recently in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State during a meeting with the States Chairmen and Secretaries of Christian Pilgrims Welfare Boards in the South South geo – political zone a release by the NCPC Head of Media, Mr Celestine Toruka has said.
In the words of the NCPC boss, “I plead with the governors in the South South to lift up the numbers they are sponsoring; it is too low”.
Rev. Pam posited that if states in the north with high percentage of Muslims could sponsor reasonable number of Christians to the Holy land, how much more states in the South South with about Ninety Five percent Christian population.
He stressed that pilgrimage is the only dividend of democracy that the church enjoys which provides them the opportunity to travel to Israel to build their faith in God.
He called on the states and the Federal Government to come up with more youth empowerment programmes in order to actively engage them in meaningful venture. He tasked the youth to be creative and should not put their minds on white collar jobs.
The NCPC helmsman further charged the Federal and State Governments to address the issue of insecurity in the country, stating that security should not be left in the hands of the government alone. In his words, “we must rise up to see how we can save this country from its present security challenges”.
The No. 1 Christian Pilgrims Officer of the Federation, commended the infrastructural development of Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. He particularly scored him high for his initiative to be the first state to have its own functional airline in Nigeria – ‘Ibom Air’ coupled with the industrial revolution of his administration.
The NCPC Chief Executive Officer also hinted that the Commission would set up an Agricultural desk to harness and stimulate agricultural contents of pilgrimage where the youths would be exposed to skill acquisition programmes in Israel and come back to Nigeria to replicate the knowledge acquired.
Speaking at the event, the governor of Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Udom Emmanuel stated that his administration had ensured very peaceful atmosphere in the state, hence they were able to provide transformational leadership for the people of Akwa Ibom State.
The Governor who spoke through the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ini Adiakpan congratulated Rev. Pam for his well-deserved appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Emmanuel affirmed that his government was committed to the spiritual wellbeing of his people and as such would continue to support anything that would advance the cause of Christian pilgrimage in the state.
He charged the NCPC Boss to use his good offices to unite the Christians and bring people closer to Christ. His words, “as the Executive Secretary, you will further help to bring people to Christ more than ever before”.
He explained that with the current insecurity in the country, there was need to redirect our youths to God so that the level of criminality among the youths would drop drastically.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Archbishop Cletus Bassey thanked the NCPC boss for the choice of Uyo for the meeting of the South South Pilgrimage Leaders.
He averred that the emergence of Rev. Pam as the Executive Secretary of NCPC would usher in a new vista of hope and development in the Commission. His words, “we believe your emergence will inject a new blood in NCPC’.
The Chairman thanked the Christian Association of Nigeria CAN in the state for their support.
The Theme of the NCPC stakeholders meeting is “Creating Inclusive Governance Atmosphere”
